Excessive fat has been stated by medical authorities such as NICE as a great risk to health and can cause cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, stress, arthritis and some forms of cancer. It is no wonder that many obese people have woken up to the idea of dieting and getting fitter. Though there are several exercise routines that now answer the question on how to lose weight and improve health… swimming gets a higher score because it increases cardio vascular health and there is very little impact on the joints. It is also more sociable, pleasant and can be affective for weight loss if done with the right intensity.

Why is swimming good for weight loss?

Swimming can be an effective training modality as it can increase the heart rate rapidly using both aerobic and anaerobic forms of training; The effective resistance of the water can act on all the muscle groups and thus turns into a whole body workout;

Water offers a safe and reliable resistance putting the body into a catabolic state and hence swimming can be called as resistance training; by swimming and paddling at different speeds and by varying the intensity. Therefore it is evident that swimming is a complete and rigorous form of exercise which has a high potential to burn fat throughout the body.

How to maximize swimming effectiveness? Here are some ways in which you can get maximum results from your swimming efforts.

Ensure there is warm water in the pool.

It is considered that the water temperature in your pool should be around 27 C, plus or minus a few degrees, in order to help you burn away a good number of calories. The flip side to the water being cold is that when you emerge after your dip, you could end up feeling famished and gorge on more quantity of food. This would mean you are adding more calories than what you burned!

Use hydro equipment to increase calorie burning

By making use of hydro equipment like fins for the feet and a kickboard for the upper body, you can increase the legs’ effort level and improve cardio fitness quickly. Similarly, if you want to exert the upper body more, you could use a pull buoy between the legs which puts more stress on the arms, shoulders and back muscles. The use of hydro belts for pool running is also very efficient at increasing CV fitness and is an excellent way for injured runners to return back to fitness.

Swim safely in the right way

To stay safe and continue swimming regularly without breaks, you are advised to warm up and cool off before and after each swim session; you should also be careful to limit your efforts to within your capacity.

Getting maximum cardio from your swim

Cardio exercises that can get you out of breath are supposed to be the best way to burn excessive fat easily and quickly, because they lead to improved metabolism which is sustained for longer. You can also make your swims cardio intensive in different ways. For instance, by paddling vigorously with the legs till you are out of breath and then resting, you get a cardio workout right in the pool.

Enjoy your daily dips to stay motivated

It is essential to keep your swimming routine enjoyable without making it too strenuous or demanding. Only then are you likely to be consistent and regular in sticking to your training plan.